Waiting for the Sun to Shine
by runaway angel
Summary: Memories are nice but that's all they are... That's all you ever will be... A memory. Or so I thought." Heartbroken over Tidus' return, Rikku finds comfort in the arms of the person she least expected to find it from. ::Rikku x Gippel::


Disclaimer: I don't own FFX or FFX-2, Square does.

A/N: This is a little something I wrote after playing FFX-2. It is slightly based on my first fanfic, Unexpected, FFX Another Story and FFX-2. **It may contain some major spoilers about FFX-2 so if you haven't played/finished the game, don't read.** FF.net doesn't have an FFX-2 section yet so I posted it here. I'll move it once there is one. But the story doesn't really revolve around the game itself. It's more on Rikku and a certain blonde man.

Oh yeah. Sorry if there are inconsistencies. I don't know much about the Japanese language. I'm just relying on this translation site to understand the dialogues in the game. But the translation's not yet finished so there. And the English version of the game hasn't been released yet so all the names in this fic may be different in the US version.

Anyway, on with the fic! ^_^

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**Waiting for the Sun to Shine**

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Memories are nice but that's all they are… That's all you ever will be… A memory.

Or so I thought.

I've accepted the fact that you were gone. It was hard but I got through it. Machina-hunting was a great distraction to the reality that you were never to return. Though there were nights that I would cry myself to sleep, missing your presence terribly. It was stupid, crying over someone whose heart was never mine. But I didn't care. No one knew about my stupidity or would ever know about it. No one knew that I loved you. No one saw tears stain my cheek when I saw you and Yuna kissing in Macalania or heard my regrets on not saving you when Sin attacked our ship. They just saw me as Yuna's bubbly Al Bhed cousin. Besides, everyone was too pre-occupied with our mission to protect the summoner and defeat Sin. It was so easy to conceal the fact that I had feelings for you back then. But it was so hard to make such feelings go away… even if after you left us. 

_I was doing well. I've accepted the fact that I would never see you again. Then Kimahri had to hand me that sphere... that one sphere that changed everything…_

It was you, locked in a cage, screaming for your freedom. I couldn't believe it. You were alive. It was as if I was given another chance, another chance to save you. When Sin attacked, I just watched you drown towards your doom, scared of the invincible beast and of the new-found emotion I've been feeling since the day we first met. And what was the result of my cowardice? You met Yuna and fell in love with her leaving me alone and heartbroken.

The sphere gave me a fresh sense of hope. I could save you and it would be you and me who would end up together. We'll get married and have lotsa kids! And then we'll live happily ever after like in those fairytales _Sudran_ used to tell me when she was still alive.

But fairytales aren't real and I can't be selfish. I knew how much Yuna loved you. And it was her whom you loved, not me. Guilt plagued my soul for thinking such selfish thoughts. Sure I loved you, but I love Yuna too. She's not only my cousin. She's also my friend. So I went to Besaid the next day and gave the sphere to Yuna. 

And that little sphere sparked the start of a new journey. We became sphere hunters hoping to find more clues about your whereabouts. We were known as the Gullwings; Yuna, Rikku and Paine or YuRiPa for short. We met a lot of people along the way, some were enemies, some were allies, some were even enemies turned allies! Then we uncovered hidden truths about Spira, about its past and its present. It turns out, you weren't the one in the sphere. It was another person who really looked liked you. His name was Shuin, and his eyes were set on the destruction of Spira. But we easily defeated him. And Spira once again rejoiced for the eternal calm would indeed remain eternal. 

As for us, we've accepted the fact that you were really gone. It was nice to hope for awhile but why continue hoping for the impossible? You never really existed. You were just a dream! Dreams aren't real. 

_Then I heard you whistle… Not for me… For her…_

We were flying towards Kilika to pay a visit to Nooj, Baralai and Gippel and see how they were doing. Yuna, Paine, and I were on top of the airship, enjoying the cool breeze as it set our hair gliding. That's when we heard a familiar whistle. Yuna and I looked at each other, disbelief and shock evident on our faces, while Paine tilted her head.

"What's up with you guys? It's just a whistle," she said as she scratched her head.

Paine was wrong. It wasn't just a whistle. It was _you_ whistling. It was _you_ calling out… not to me, but to Yuna. 

A confused Paine watched as a teary-eyed Yuna ran towards the elevator. I felt my heart sank but I still managed to pull off a smile. 

"Come on, Paine! Let's go!" I cheerfully exclaimed. "It's Tidus. He's back!" 

The raven-haired girl smiled at me, (a rare occurrence, it was.) and together we ran towards the exit, each step slowly breaking the walls of effervescence and cheerfulness sheathing my innermost self. But I can't cry now. No, I can't. I must be happy. I always am, right? I'm sweet vivacious Rikku! Well, in their eyes, I am. 

I closed my eyes and allowed a single tear to stream down my cheek. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to smile and walked towards the Celcius' landing stairs. 

_And that's when I saw you… and her… in a deep embrace once again._

The sight of you panged my heart deeply. The sight of you and Yuna in each other's arms hurt even more. It was as if I was cursed. I had to witness every passionate embrace, hear every sweet word, even see you two kiss! Perhaps it was a wake-up call. _Hello?! Spira to Rikku, they're meant for each other, can't you see? You just have to accept the fact that you and Tidus will never be!_

But it just hurts so much! I just couldn't understand why. Why couldn't it have been me and you instead of you and her? Why did you have to return, to tease me further? Why do I have to keep this façade of mine when I know I'm breaking down inside? Why? Why? Why?! A thousand questions ran through my throbbing head. But it didn't hurt as much as my heart did.

Paine's deep voice interrupted my thoughts. "Hey, you! Got too caught in the moment?" she jeered.

"Huh?" I replied, obviously having no idea what she was talking about.

She pointed her finger at my eyes and released a small laugh. "You're all teary-eyed!" 

"I am?"  

The woman clad in black leather nodded her head as a reply.

"It's just that, I'm…" I paused not knowing what to say. Should I tell Paine about my anguish, about my unrequited love for you? Or should I just come up with some lame excuse? But what should I say? That I have something in my eye? Paine wouldn't buy that. Nervousness crept unto my soul. I didn't know what to do or what to say at all!

A pair of deep red eyes stared at me, waiting for me to finish my statement. Finally, I was able to muster the right words. "I'm happy for them. They're finally reunited." I said, though I knew it was against my heart. I quickly wiped the tears in my eyes with the back of my palm and forced another smile.

"Tidus!" I shouted with a tinge of fake happiness as I waved at you.

_But you didn't notice. You were too wrapped in Yuna's presence._

The villagers of Besaid cheered in delight as they watched the blissful couple run towards them. Brother screamed in horror and fainted as he saw his beloved Yuna in the arms of another man.  Dachi and Shinra giggled at his still form while Paine simply chuckled. As for me, I continued to fight back the tears from flowing.  

Shinra leapt into the shallow waters and skipped towards the shore, another movie sphere in tow. 

"Where are you going?" Dachi shouted at the bright little kid.

"I'm going to record everything in this sphere. It looks like they're going to have a celebration."

"A celebration?" a suddenly awake and energetic Brother asked as he jumped into his feet. "Gullwings, move out! We're gonna par-taaay!" he said as he flapped his arms and danced around. Usually, I would join in his silly movements and dance with him, but I did not. I just continued staring at your form.

"Rikku, let's go."

I could hear Paine's voice but I couldn't understand the words that flowed from her lips. They were mere murmurs, clouded by my thoughts. It was too much for me, seeing you and Yuna run past the shallow waters of Besaid, huge smiles on your faces, your fingers entwined. It was just too much.

_I should be happy that you're back, that you're alive and breathing… but I'm not._

"I… I forgot something in the cockpit." I stuttered. "You guys go ahead. I'll just follow." I exclaimed as I hurriedly headed towards the elevator shaft. I just wanted to get away from everything, from the exuberant people, from the merry atmosphere, from everything! I couldn't take it anymore… I just couldn't…

I ran towards nowhere, ignoring the curious stares of my friends, ignoring the merry cheers of the people, and wishing that I could just ignore your presence.

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She untied the blue bandana on her head, allowing her golden locks to fall and outline her crestfallen face. Alone she sat in the dark engine room, savoring solitude, allowing drops of crystal to escape her swollen emerald pools.  She brought her knees closer to her chest and embraced her legs, leaning her chin on them. 

Her mind was swimming in a pool of endless questions and thoughts. Her head ached a lot, but not as much as her heart did. But it was useless to think about it. And she didn't want to lie anymore. She didn't want to make herself believe that there was still hope, when there really was none.

The dejected girl took the piece of blue cloth peacefully lying on the floor and burrowed her face in it, drenching it with her tears.

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Steps echoed inside the hallways of the Celcius. No, they weren't just steps. They were powerful strides, that of a proud man. The figure ran his fingers across his sunshine-blonde hair and released a small chuckle as he continued his cocky walk.

Normally, he wouldn't allow himself to help the young summoner and her friends. That would ruin the bad-ass reputation he had earned and worked hard for. He could have just sent another Al Bhed to check on the engines of the sphere hunters' airship. But after all they've been through, Shuin and everything else, he decided to cast his ego aside. Well, at least for one day.

The blonde figure entered the dimly-lit room and halted in his steps. He took a deep breath and released a contented sigh. "Gotta love the smell of machina at work," he  said to himself, unaware of the fact that he was not alone.

She knew she had company. Had the man not spoken, she would have still recognized him thanks to that arrogant walk of his. He was Gippel, the young leader of the Al Bhed Machina Faction and also the person who irritated her the most.

They had known each other since they were little. She did not like him a single bit. He was not only cocky but also mischievous. A little bastard, he was back then, always playing practical jokes on her and telling lies to other kids such as her being his girlfriend. How she despised him so much! 

She hated him, but not as much as she hated fate. Not only was she heartbroken, she was also stuck with the worst person she could have been stuck with, Gippel.

_"Oui, oui sayhea! Fryd yna oui tuehk rana?" _she cried in her native tongue. Her tearstricken face was covered by the cerulean bandana she held on her shaking palms. She tried her best to stop crying. She didn't want him to know that she was. He would just make fun of her, torment her further. 

He was surprised to find out that he wasn't alone. The darkness had concealed the figure of the crouching girl. He knew who she was. Not everyone had a high-pitched voice like hers.

"Cid's little brat's still upset with me, eh?"  he snickered. He waited for her usual answer which was that she had told him a million times already that her name was Rikku. But he heard nothing but the sound of the engines.

He released a small laugh though he could sense that something was terribly wrong. "It's about the lie I told Yuna about us dating a long time ago, eh? I know, I know. Ya wishin' it were true." he said in a boastful tone. "But you know, we can still make those dreams of yours a reality. Whatcha think?" his smile stretched into a grin as he waited for the young girl's reply.

"Whatever, Gippel. Just leave me alone!" she cried, trying to sound as harsh as she could.  But it sounded more like a desperate plea of a disconsolate girl.

Rikku never reacted that way to any of his jokes. Usually, she would just get annoyed but never to the point that she wanted him to go away. He knew something was wrong.

He could hear quiet sobs, each sob getting louder and louder as he slowly walked towards the wretched soul. He found her sitting beside an empty treasure chest. Her head was tucked in her hands but he could tell that she was crying. The normal Gippel would have teased her and said something like: _"Aww… Crying over an empty treasure chest? Poor little brat. Don't worry! Daddy's gonna find ya some treasure."_ But he didn't. He didn't even think about saying such mean words. Instead, he knelt before her and sat on his legs, hoping to find out what was wrong with his childhood friend.

"Rikku?" he said in a soft tone one would have said was unbecoming of him.

She did not reply. Her sobs just grew louder. Each sob panged the heart of the young man. He did not know why but he could feel it. It was as if his heart was being pricked by a thousand cactuar needles. He slowly lifted his hands and gently brought down hers and the bandana that was sheathing her face.

_The blue cloth gracefully fell onto the ground, meeting the cold metal floor. But it wasn't the only thing that that fell._

His heart sank as he saw her face. Once gleaming with life, its color was lost and it was awfully stained by her tears. She was a mess, her emerald pools were swollen and misty, her rose lips were pale and quivering, her golden tresses were disheveled. He had never seen her in such state. She was the sunshine of the Al Bhed tribe, always smiling and making others smile. But now, she was breaking down in front of him.

Not knowing what to say, he ran his gloved fingers across her long tousled hair, gently tucking them behind her ear, allowing him to see more of her face. She was beautiful. It was a fact he had known long before. He had a little crush on her when they were little but he would never admit it to anyone, not even to himself. Instead, he would  tease her and play tricks on her, somewhat to catch her attention. But this only led to her despising him.

Lost in her beauty, he cupped her cheek with his right hand, his eye never leaving hers. He gently stroked her soft skin with his thumb, wiping away her tears. It was obvious that he wasn't thinking anymore. It wasn't like him to do such a caring gesture. It wasn't like him at all. 

Confusion filled his soul. Not only did he not know what was wrong with Rikku, he also did not know what was wrong with himself. Everyone knew him as the arrogant bastard. But now, he was more of a gentleman, something he never thought and never wished he would be. And the agonizing pain his heart was experiencing was something new to him. He didn't even know that he had a heart.

His senses finally returned to him. Pushing aside all his thoughts, he quickly removed his hand from her cheek and clasped his hands together, his eye, staring at the metal floor. _"What the hell is wrong with you?" _he asked himself in his thoughts. He was terribly confused and suddenly shy of his actions earlier. He kept his head bowed, not wanting to face her, for he could not bear the pain. For the first time in his entire life, Gippel felt helpless.

Her quivering voice interrupted his thoughts. "What's wrong with me, Gippel?" she murmured in between sobs, breaking the silence between them. "What did I do to deserve all this?" 

The blond man helplessly watched as more tears streamed down her face. He felt like crying himself not only because of the confusion he was feeling, but also because of her pain. It hurt him a lot seeing her in such a condition. 

Finally letting his heart take over, he gazed into her misty green orbs and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Nothing's wrong with you, Rikku," he softly uttered as a single tear stained his left cheek. He wrapped his well-built arms around her trembling body and held her closer to him. "Nothing is," he whispered into her ear. "You're perfect."

Her sobbing drew to a close as she heard the words that escaped his lips. She slowly looked up and found him staring at her. Lost in his embrace, she wrapped her arms around him and leaned her head on his throbbing chest. She knew that he wasn't fucking with her this time. He meant every single action and word. She knew he did. Her heart could feel it. 

Finally, everything seemed so clear to her. Why couldn't it have been her and Tidus instead of him and Yuna, why she had to continue harboring feelings for him when she knew it was hopeless, why Tidus had to return, why the two heroes had to be reunited, all her unresolved questions were finally answered! Gippel was the answer to her questions. If it hadn't been for her unrequited love for Tidus, she wouldn't be in the engine room, she wouldn't be crying, she wouldn't be in his arms. He would be the same old arrogant Gippel she hated, not the compassionate guy consoling her crestfallen spirit now.

She tightened her embrace on him, thanking fate with all the praises she could muster in her thoughts. A single tear escaped her tightly-shut eyes, not of sorrow but of happiness.__

His lips curved into a smile as he felt her tightened embrace. He didn't bother asking what was wrong. In fact, he didn't give a damn about it. She could tell him tomorrow or next week or next year or even never! He didn't care. All that mattered to him was that in his arms was sunshine… _his sunshine_.

_The sun had set but they could still feel its warmth, its radiance they could see in each other's presence._

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A/N: Heheh. Surprised? Well, I've always been a Tikku fan but this little Rikku-Gippel scene in Djose Temple struck me, so there! I came up with this. Hope you liked it. ^u^


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